PAGE 16 • GO! MAGAZINE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021 • THE BULLETIN
cover story
Learning from winters of the past
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MAKENZIE WHITTLE • The Bulletin
C
entral Oregon has a habit of throwing every kind of weather at its residents within the same month, sometimes on the same day. But winter can be the
worst of it with snowstorms dumping hefty accumulations, then temperatures warm up to melt it all only to freeze overnight. Whether it’s your first winter
or your 15th here are a couple of simple projects to keep you toasty till spring.
CANDLE WAX AND EGG CARTON FIRESTARTERS
If you’re lucky (or unlucky depending
on how you look at it) enough to have a
wood-burning stove in your house, this is
one of the best ways to get your fire roaring
in no time, often without having to use kin-
dling.
Materials
Egg cartons
Candle wax
Small saucepan/pot that will not be used
again for food
Dryer lint (optional)
Directions
Save up your old egg cartons and any left-
over candles you’ve got in your house (this
is also a great use of those random scented
candles someone gifted you that have been
collecting dust in your closet).
First, remove the candle wax from any jar
or container. This can be done by pouring
boiling water in the container and allowing
the melted wax to collect at the top of the
water. When the water cools and the wax
hardens simply remove the wax and set it
aside. You can now use the empty containers
for storage or simply recycle if appropriate.
In the saucepan or pot, heat the wax and
candles together over low heat until they
melt, do not boil.
Carefully pour the wax into the individual
cups, filling them about halfway. Add pieces
of dryer lint to each wax cup if desired.
Let the wax cool then cut into two or
three cup-sections.
Place it in your woodstove with the fire-
starter wedged between two pieces of wood
or in a tight opening, and light.
These are also great to take camping to
start a campfire easily.
TERRA COTTA POT HEATER
If your home office is a little chilly these
days and you don’t want to crank up your
heater and therefore your electric bill, this
little tea light heat source may keep your fin-
gers from freezing on your keyboard.
No, it won’t heat your whole room, but it
can keep your immediate desk area a little
less cold.
Materials
2 clay pots, one smaller than the other
2 to 3 small bricks, heat resistant tiles, flat
rocks or small tea light holders (these are
your base)
1 trivet or heat resistant flat stone
3 to 4 tea light candles
Directions
Make sure the pot is clean and dry if
you’re bringing it in from outside.
Arrange your base materials on top of
the trivet in a way so the smaller pot can
be placed upside down on top of them and
still fit the large pot as well. Be sure to allow
space for airflow.
Arrange the candles in the center and
light them.
Place the smaller pot, upside-down over
A terra cotta pot heater. Three
tea lights are lit underneath two,
nested terra cotta pots on top of a
kitchen trivet. Three glass tealight
holders hold up the pots.
the candles then the larger one on top.
It takes a little while for the heat to begin
to radiate from the pot.
Use caution when removing the pot and
the stones as the residual heat lingers on the
stones for quite some time after the candles
have been extinguished.
Never leave the heater unattended or in
a closed area and always use it with caution
and at your own risk.
e e
Reporter: 541-383-0304, mwhittle@bendbulletin.com
A finished
candle wax
and egg
carton fire
starter.